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Steelers Takin Unfair Hits

By Joe Starkey

Published: Saturday, March 16, 2013, 11:56 p.m.
Updated 8 hours ago

Fiscal negligence? Is that what the Steelers are being accused of?

How ridiculous.

How incredibly unfair.

Contrary to what the new order of revisionist Steeler historians are telling you, this franchise has deftly navigated the salary cap over the past decade. Its decision-makers brilliantly have combined a win-now philosophy with a willingness to part with still-productive players.

Why did they keep the core largely intact?

Because it was winning, silly!

The Steelers were in the Super Bowl three years ago. They were a botched series (home Baltimore game) away from a first-round bye in 2011. They were thick in the race last winter when a preposterous spate of injuries sabotaged their season. They haven't had a losing season since 2003.

And it's not like they've avoided tough financial decisions, parting with the likes of Joey Porter, Alan Faneca, Chris Hope, Plaxico Burress and now James Harrison.

In cases where prospective free agents were unwilling to accept less than what they could get on the open market, the Steelers simply said goodbye. Mike Wallace is a good example. He was going to chase every penny. I don't blame him, but the Steelers weren't going to play that game with a receiver.

They were going to have to make a decision between Wallace and Antonio Brown at some point — just as they did between Burress and Hines Ward — and chose Brown when it became clear Wallace was going for the gold.

The revisionists' most popular complaint is that the Steelers have been operating with too much of a credit card mentality, pushing debt into the future by way of restructured contracts instead of paying as they went along.

I hear it all the time …

“That's why they're up against the cap!” (as if that isn't the case most years).

“That's why they can't sign some of their own best players!” (see above: it's happened before).

Listen to these people long enough, and you'd think Howard Baldwin was running the Steelers.

So tell me, revisionists, which contract should the Steelers not have signed? Whose deal should they not have restructured? Who should they have parted with earlier? Which difficult decision did they avoid and thus mortgage their future?

Willie Colon's $29 million deal might look terrible now, but how could anyone have predicted his body would fall apart?

What makes this offseason unusual is the departure of players in their mid-20s — and I believe the Steelers should have made an effort to sign cornerback Keenan Lewis. I'm not sure why they didn't. But it's not like some previous decision cost them a chance. They clearly could have afforded Lewis if they had so desired.

As for restructuring contracts, the Steelers have been incredibly selective. They have almost exclusively selected younger players who figure to be around, not players who will continue to eat cap space long after they're gone.

The issue isn't cap management. It's player procurement. If the Steelers have opened themselves to criticism, it's in the draft room, not the boardroom.

The way this franchise does business, it must hit consistently in the draft. It is supposed to have people ready to replace its departed. That has been the blueprint all along, but you look now and wonder who's next at various positions.

Willie Parker begat Rashard Mendenhall. Who replaces Mendenhall, who didn't make it to a second contract?

Joey Porter begat James Harrison (a lucky find as an undrafted free agent). Who replaces Harrison? The jury is very much out on Jason Worilds.

Santonio Holmes begat Wallace. Who replaces Wallace?

Aaron Smith led to Ziggy Hood, just as Brett Keisel will lead to Cam Heyward. Can Hood and Heyward make good as first-round picks?

Next season is very much a referendum on the drafting work of Kevin Colbert and Mike Tomlin. It's time for recent draft picks to show themselves. We'll see if David DeCastro, Mike Adams, Marcus Gilbert, Worilds, Hood, Heyward, Cortez Allen and others pass the test.

The Steelers' recent drafting prowess is absolutely up for debate. Their fiscal intelligence is not.

Every fan base in sports wants to win now. For the Steelers, “now” has lasted the better part of 12 years.

Yep. Hits to the point that the Steelers adopted a philosophy of win now while we can, but they knew this day would come. it is disingenuous to blame Rooney, Colbert, Tomlin, etc because they gave the fans who are now ripping them exactly what they wanted a contender year in and year out.

If we have to take a step back to set ourseleves up for the future I have no issue with that. I would much rather do that than hold onto fading players hoping to get one more good season out of them. We need to reset the cap situation on the team and that can only be done with more young players getting on the field and demonstrating whether thy can play or not.

Last edited by Oviedo; 03-17-2013 at 09:06 AM.

Playing Fantasy Football does not qualify you to be the in the front office or on the coaching staff of the Pittsburgh Steelers. They are professionals and you are not!

Ahem...I didn't predict his body would fall apart, but I did say I didn't think it was wise to offer such a large contract to a player who up to that point, in my opinion, had not been all that great.

I was also critical of the large deal given to LaMarr Woodley.

Before Pouncey was drafted the Steelers considered Colon to be their best O-lineman maybe that had somethingto do with his contract. Then they asked him to switch from RT to LG this past season. He had some rough times but was beginning to get better as the season rolled on until the injuries put him out of action. He was playing with a bad knee to begin with if you noticed the brace he was wearing.

With Woodley I tend to agree, and was surprised they gave him that much money. My guess is another team would of paid him that amount and the Steelers didn't want to lose a talented OLB. The injuries killed him just like many other Steelers, maybe we get a healthy Lamar in 2013 and he's back to form and in shape.
We need the playmaker Lamar this coming season more than ever, when he's on he's damn good, maybe Woodley earns that big payday in 2013 we sure could use some QB pressure.

Yep. Hits to the point that the Steelers adopted a philosophy of win now while we can, but they knew this day would come. it is disingenuous to blame Rooney, Colbert, Tomlin, etc because they gave the fans who are now ripping them exactly what they wanted a contender year in and year out.

If we have to take a step back to set ourseleves up for the future I have no issue with that. I would much rather do that than hold onto fading players hoping to get one more good season out of them. We need to reset the cap situation on the team and that can only be done with more young players getting on the field and demonstrating whether thy can play or not.

I can agree with that. I'd rather see 1 or 2 down years in which the team sets up for another decade long run than to see them struggle with the cap and losing players for 5 or 6 more years.

Before Pouncey was drafted the Steelers considered Colon to be their best O-lineman maybe that had somethingto do with his contract. Then they asked him to switch from RT to LG this past season. He had some rough times but was beginning to get better as the season rolled on until the injuries put him out of action. He was playing with a bad knee to begin with if you noticed the brace he was wearing.

With Woodley I tend to agree, and was surprised they gave him that much money. My guess is another team would of paid him that amount and the Steelers didn't want to lose a talented OLB. The injuries killed him just like many other Steelers, maybe we get a healthy Lamar in 2013 and he's back to form and in shape.
We need the playmaker Lamar this coming season more than ever, when he's on he's damn good, maybe Woodley earns that big payday in 2013 we sure could use some QB pressure.

Woodley is the key to the defense this season. If he can get double digit sacks then that will open opportunities for Worilds from the other side. If he has less than 12 then we will struggle unless they turn Timmons loose on more blitzes which they absolutely should do from multiple places on the defense.

Playing Fantasy Football does not qualify you to be the in the front office or on the coaching staff of the Pittsburgh Steelers. They are professionals and you are not!